Zero-Turn Mowers

In the Spring, a young man's fancy lightly turns to thoughts of love (thanks, Lord Tennyson) and ... zero-turn mowers? If you're laboring for hours and hours whacking away at your lawn, thinking all the while you'd rather be somewhere else, a zero-turn mower may be for you. Keep in mind that one of these machines is for a piece of property an acre or two in size; a smaller yard calls for, clearly, a smaller mower.

Here are some of the things I've found helpful in considering the purchase of a zero-turn mower. Keep in mind that the more gadgets, the higher the price of the unit:

The number of blades -- generally, zero-turn mowers have two or three blades and that number will determine the mower deck size. If you have limited access to your cutting area, through a fence gate for instance, take a hint from the carpenter -- measure it twice, buy it once. Or tear the fence down, of course.

Maintenance -- you'll save cash if you perform the easy repair and maintenance jobs -- blade sharpening and replacements, oil and filter, and drive belt, changes. Save the big stuff, like engine changes, for the pros.

"Zero-turn" means that the mower will turn in its own length. Very helpful for confined spaces that would not be suited to a walk-behind mower. With a zero-turn, you'll have to do very little line-trimming.

Zero-turn mowers have a variety of speeds from a "granny gear", for moving a unit on and off a trailer, to a 7-9 mph speed, for example, for straight, flat mowing areas. A "warp speed" is not always a good idea for a large residential lawn, and you'll pay an equipment premium for high mowing speeds.

The controls and seating should be adjustable, so that, on the rare occasion you graciously allow someone else to drive your zero-turn mower, they will be comfortable operating the beast.

Engine horsepower -- if you have to cut grass that is taller than five or six inches, or consistently wet, go for an (optional) bigger horsepower engine, to keep the mower from bogging down. A grass recycling kit (shown below) is another great option to put nitrogen (free fertilizer!) back into the soil.

Last but not least -- a zero-turn mower is not a toy and it must be operated with caution, like any big piece of machinery. Use the seat belt, roll bar, guards and shields, and wear your hearing protection. Be aware of wet grass and avoid steep slopes. Come back to mow another day.